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Chapter 14
The Expansive Realm of Islam
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1
Muhammad and His Message
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Born about 570 C.E. to merchant family in Mecca
Orphaned as a child
Married wealthy widow ca. 595 C.E.; worked as
merchant
Familiarity with paganism, Christianity, and
Judaism as practiced in Arabian peninsula
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2
Muhammad’s Spiritual
Transformation
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Visions, ca. 610 C.E.
Archangel Gabriel
Monotheism—Allah
Attracted followers in Mecca
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3
The Quran
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Record of revelations received during visions
Committed to writing ca. 650 C.E. (Muhammad
died 632 C.E.)
Tradition of Muhammad’s life: hadith
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4
Conflict at Mecca
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Muhammad’s monotheistic teachings offensive
to polytheistic pagans
Economic threat to existing religious industry
Denunciation of greed an affront to local
aristocracy
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5
The Hijra and the Umma
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Muhammad fled to Yathrib (Medina), 622 C.E.
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Starting point of official Islamic calendar
Organized followers into communal society
(the umma)
Legal, spiritual code
Commerce, raids on Meccan caravans for sake of
umma
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6
The “Seal of the Prophets”
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Muhammad—the final prophet
Accepted the authority of Abraham, Moses, and
Jesus
Hebrew scriptures and Christian New Testament
held in high esteem
Muhammad had been entrusted a more complete
revelation, one that communicated Allah’s plan
for the world
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7
Muhammad’s Return to Mecca
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Attack on Mecca, 630 C.E.
Conversion of Mecca to Islam
Destruction of pagan sites, replaced with mosques
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Ka’ba preserved in honor of importance of Mecca
Approved as pilgrimage site
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8
The Five Pillars of Islam
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No god but Allah (God), and Muhammad is his
prophet
Daily prayer while facing Mecca
Fasting during daylight hours of Ramadan
Alms for the relief of the weak and poor
Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj)
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9
Jihad
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“Struggle”
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Against vice
Against ignorance of Islam
“Holy war”
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Against unbelievers who threaten Islam
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10
Islamic Law: The Sharia
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Codification of Islamic law
Based on Quran, hadith, logical schools of
analysis
Extends beyond ritual law to all areas of human
activity
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11
The Caliph
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No clear successor to Muhammad identified
Abu Bakr chosen to lead as caliph
Led war against villagers who abandoned Islam
after death of Muhammad
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12
The Expansion of Islam
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Highly successful attacks on Byzantine, Sasanid
territories
Difficulties governing rapidly expanding territory
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13
The Expansion of Islam, 632–733 C.E.
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14
The Shia
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Disagreements over selection of caliphs
Ali passed over for Abu Bakr
Ali served as fourth caliph, 656–661 C.E., but
assassinated along with most followers
Remaining followers organized separate party
called “Shia”
Traditionalists: Sunni
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15
The Umayyad Dynasty (661–750 C.E.)
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From Meccan merchant class
Brought stability to the Islamic community
Capital: Damascus, Syria
Associated with Arab military aristocracy
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16
Policy toward Conquered Peoples
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Favoritism of Arab military rulers caused
discontent
Limited social mobility for non-Arab Muslims
Head tax (jizya) on non-Muslims
Umayyads’ luxurious living caused further
decline in moral authority
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17
Abu al-Abbas
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Sunni Arab, allied with Shia and non-Arab
Muslims
Seized control of Persia and Mesopotamia
Defeated Umayyad army in 750 C.E.
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Invited Umayyads to banquet, then massacred them
Founded Abbasid dynasty, principal authority
in dar al-Islam until 1258 C.E.
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18
The Abbasid Dynasty (750–1258 C.E.)
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Diverse nature of administration (i.e. not
exclusively Arab)
Militarily competent, but not bent on imperial
expansion
Content to administer inherited empire
Continued growth of dar al-Islam
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Military activity of autonomous Islamic forces
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19
Abbasid Administration
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Persian influence
Court at Baghdad
Influence of Islamic scholars
Ulama and qadis sought to develop policy based
on Quran and sharia
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Ulama: “people with religious knowledge”
Qadis: “judges”
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20
Harun al-Rashid (786–809 C.E.)
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Caliph during high point of Abbasid dynasty
Baghdad the center of banking, commerce, crafts,
industrial production
Liberal support for artists and writers
Great cultural activity
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21
Abbasid Decline
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Civil war between sons of Harun al-Rashid
Provincial governors asserted regional
independence
Dissenting sects, heretical movements
Abbasid caliphs became puppets of Persian
nobility
Later influence of Saljuq Turks; sultan became
true source of power in Abbasid empire
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22
Economy of the Early Islamic World
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Spread of food and industrial crops
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Western diet adapted to wide variety
New crops adapted to different growing seasons
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Trade routes from India to Spain
Agricultural sciences developed
Cotton, paper industries developed
Major cities emerged
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Formation of a Hemispheric
Trading Zone
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Historical precedent of Arabic trade
Dar al-Islam extended over Silk Roads
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Ice exported from Syria to Egypt in summer, tenth
century
Camel caravans
Maritime trade
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24
Banking and the Organization
of Trade
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Scale of trade led to development of banks
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Sakk (“check”)
Trade promoted by uniformity of Islamic law
throughout dar al-Islam
Joint ventures common
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25
Al-Andalus
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Islamic Spain
Had been taken by Muslim Berber conquerors
from north Africa, early eighth century
Allied to Umayyads, refused to recognize
Abbasid dynasty
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Formed own caliphate
Tensions, but interrelationship
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26
The Changing Status of Women
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Quran improved status of women
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Outlawed female infanticide
Brides, not husbands, claimed dowries
Yet male dominance preserved
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Patrilineal descent
Polygamy permitted, polyandry forbidden
Veil adopted from ancient Mesopotamian practice
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27
The Formation of an Islamic Cultural
Tradition
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Islamic values
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Uniformity of Islamic law in dar al-Islam
Establishment of madrasas
Importance of the hajj
Sufi missionaries
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Asceticism, mysticism
Some tension with orthodox Islamic theologians
Wide popularity
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Al-Ghazali (1058–1111 C.E.)
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Major Sufi thinker from Persia
Human reason too frail to understand mysteries
of world
Only through devotion, guidance from Quran,
could human beings appreciate power of Allah
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Cultural Influences on Islam
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Persia
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Administration and governance
Literature
India
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Mathematics, science, medicine
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“Hindi” numerals
Greece
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Philosophy, especially Aristotle
Ibn Rushd/Averroes (1126–1198 C.E.)
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